Former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Prince Adewole Adebayo has issued a blunt ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: decisively eliminate terrorists ravaging the nation or step down, as insecurity remains a core failure of governance.
Delivering a fiery keynote at the National Electoral Reforms Summit in Abuja on Tuesday—themed “Critical Constitutional Amendments for Credible Elections in 2027″—Adebayo linked rampant violence to Nigeria’s electoral dysfunction, calling on citizens to mobilize en masse for reforms rather than rely on elite rhetoric.
“Nigerians must stop waiting for leaders to fix the system; we have to compel them,” Adebayo told delegates, including civil society leaders, labour unions, and political stakeholders. “If you don’t say it, nobody here will say this man only talks when he’s out of government. Token discussions won’t produce change.”
He lambasted self-serving debates on electoral reform, accusing many politicians of defending a flawed status quo that lines their pockets. “Most Nigerians who speak about this electoral reform depend on where their stomach is facing,” he quipped. To end manipulations, Adebayo advocated grassroots vigilance: “If you come out en masse, nobody will write any result. Nobody will take away the result sheet.”
On insecurity—described as inextricably tied to political rot—Adebayo spared no punches. “If your people are losing their lives in dozens, you already failed the primary assignment of governance,” he declared. “Kill the terrorists, or use the pen to resign.”
Adebayo also urged restraint against exploiting foreign interest in Nigeria’s crises, referencing potential U.S. involvement under a Trump administration. “We must not use the Trump intervention as a basis to litigate our hatred for each other,” he cautioned. “Any external assistance must serve all Nigerians impartially.”
Diving deeper, he pinpointed systemic barriers to reform: a political elite viewing office as a welfare scheme, disenfranchised youth starved of opportunities, identity politics fueled by region and religion, and “weak, principle-less” parties. “Before you can reform INEC, you must reform the political parties—they’re the factory from which you train leaders,” he asserted.
Paying homage to civil society and unions for sustaining democratic discourse amid setbacks, Adebayo framed democracy as an unending test: “It is one exam you will never pass. If you pass an exam in democracy, you’re only entitled to the next.”
In closing, he called for ethnic and religious unity to “put fire to the feet of our government to protect us,” while appreciating global scrutiny but insisting on homegrown solutions. “Be thankful for international attention, but sustainable change starts with us.”
The pan-Nigeria multistakeholder dialogue, aimed at advancing constitutional amendments for 2027 polls, continues with sessions on institutional reforms to bolster electoral integrity and citizen engagement.
